Connect, cooperate and grow: Murray Bridge businesswomen chart a path to success
Justine Searby, of Grazingfordayz, and Tracey Finocchio, of Riverside Woodfired Pizza, reckon they’re on to something.
This sponsored post is brought to you by Grazingfordayz and Riverside Woodfired Pizza.
Tracey Finocchio and Justine Searby’s businesses are great examples of how innovative thinking – and a personal touch – are getting results in the Murraylands.
In Justine’s case, that has meant growing her partner Craig’s trophy store into a lolly shop; then a catering service, Grazingfordayz; and now a shop-front which supports dozens of other micro-businesses.
On the shelves of her shop at 30 Bridge Street you’ll find everything from jams to jewellery, supplied by about 60 producers around the Murraylands, Adelaide Hills and beyond.
Most of those suppliers are women – “mums busting a gut”, as Justine puts it.
Tracey, meanwhile, is new to the region but already kicking goals, with a little help from a MAS National self-employment assistance program.
Her mobile catering service, Riverside Woodfired Pizza, fed hundreds of locals at a launch party at the Round House last month.
She and her husband Darren had been working at a similar business in Adelaide before a fateful weekend getaway on the River Murray.
“The next minute we’ve bought a speedboat, bought a house and moved to Murray Bridge,” Tracey says.
“I love this town.
“The best thing I’ve ever done is move up here.”
The two women connected with each other last year, when Tracey saw one of Justine’s platters on an episode of TV show Hello SA.
Since then, each has been happy to help the other succeed, even though both run similar businesses.
“We want to support as many people as we can and support Murray Bridge,” Justine says.
“If you spend your money here, it’s going to stay here.
“We want to bring tourists in; we want more places like this so that if people want to jump off a boat and stop (to shop), they can.
“I want my kids to be able to work here, to be able to stay here … (and) grow up in this environment.”
Small business owners benefit when they are willing to put their heads together, Tracey agrees.
“I think it’s really important that women work together and have a genuine connection,” she says.
“I want to see local businesses survive and thrive.”
- More information about Grazingfordayz: Visit 30 Bridge Street, Murray Bridge or search for Grazingfordayz on Facebook.
- More information about Riverside Woodfired Pizza: www.riversidewoodfiredpizza.com.au.
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